


it glows in many shades

by downhillnow



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:56:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23576332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downhillnow/pseuds/downhillnow
Summary: This really wasn't how Therese had imagined rounding out her first month in the apartment that still didn’t feel like home. But it was just her luck that the entire city would be put under quarantine right after she was finally starting to get settled in.
Relationships: Carol Aird/Therese Belivet
Comments: 50
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bring you - the quarantine fic no one asked for!  
I don't have a set plan for where this is going, so come along for the ride. 
> 
> This is also my first multi-chapter story in the more traditional sense, so please be kind. The title is from the song We Were Here by BOY. 
> 
> Thanks to @softjoycebyers for reading this over for me <3

“What the fuck are we going to do?”

This really wasn't how Therese had imagined rounding out her first month in the apartment that still didn’t feel like home. But it was just her luck that the entire city would be put under quarantine right after she was finally starting to get settled in. 

Therese looked over at her still relatively new roommate. Carol was staring in disbelief at the screen as the announcement was made by the governor regarding the restrictions placed on the whole state of New York. Therese could only shrug in reply, not able to fully process what this meant. 

“I mean, we have to be able to out for groceries, right?” 

Carol finally tore her eyes away from the TV and looked at Therese. The dismay on her face was easy to read even as unfamiliar Carol still was to Therese. After living together for a month, they had spent a minimal amount of time together and mostly stayed out of each other’s way. Carol pursed her lips as she waited for Therese to reply. Therese shrugged again. 

“Probably.” 

Carol turned back to the TV and glared at it before she sighed in defeat. 

“Well, I guess we’re in quarantine then.” 

* * *

When Carol had been told they needed to find a new roommate she had not been happy. At all. She had had such a good thing going with Allie and Gen, but then Gen had to go ahead and find herself a girlfriend she was moving in with, leaving Carol and Allie to find a new roommate on short notice. Gen had tried to be helpful with listing off a few friends of hers that needed a new place to stay at the moment, but Carol had only grumbled in reply and snatched the list with names and Instagram handles she could look up out of her hand before stomping off. 

Therese had been the last person she and Allie had met with, and Carol’s frustrations had been starting to get the better of her. “I swear to God, if this next person isn’t somewhat normal, I’ll just die on the spot.” Allie had only giggled, used to Carol’s dramatic tendencies by now after living together for so long.

“Well, I hope I can save you from an early grave.”  
  
Carol had jumped and turned around at the voice behind her. And there she was. Therese had been standing behind their table at the coffee shop they had agreed to meet at for neutral territory. If it all went well they’d go back to the apartment only a few blocks away so Therese could view it and see what she thought about the space.

Gen had said Therese was more of a friend of her girlfriend’s rather than her own, but that she was a chilled and reliable person. She had promised Carol wouldn’t hate her and that Allie would love her. What she hadn’t said anything about was how beautiful Therese was. After looking through Therese’s Instagram profile, Carol had thought she was cute but hadn’t thought more of it. But it didn’t compare to the real life experience. Her features were striking and would make her stand out in a crowd, but her smile was the best part Carol had thought. When she smiled she showed off her dimples and Carol had to look away to get herself together. Therese had her dark hair tied up in a messy bun with strands escaping it, and she wore loose jeans and a sweatshirt with a padded coat over it to fight off the cold still lingering in the air outside. Nothing special, but she was absolutely stunning. 

Carol had been unable to find her voice to say anything in reply to Therese’s comment, still too taken aback by the beautiful creature sliding into the seat across from her and smiling at her. 

Carol could not have a crush on her roommate. At all. It was out of the question. 

* * *

“Well, Allie has bailed.” 

Therese looked up from the book she was reading on the sofa to see Carol holding up her phone.

“What?” 

“She’s staying with her boyfriend at his apartment. His roommate has gone home to his family, so they’re all alone.” Carol smirked as she relayed the final part of the text. “She said it was an easy choice.” 

Therese gave a weak laugh. Out of her two new roommates, she had definitely found Allie to be the more approachable and the easiest to talk to. They had hung out and made dinner and had gradually started to get to know each other. Carol on the other hand had mostly kept out of Therese’s way and had only treated her with aloof politeness. 

The thought of being confined in the apartment with Carol for the foreseeable future did not sound appealing to Therese. She knew Carol was a bit older than herself, but even if it wasn’t a huge difference, Carol had this air about her that made her intimidating to Therese. How gorgeous she was didn’t help the matter for Therese either. 

“So it’s just the two of us then?” Therese asked in an uncertain voice. 

“Yep.” Carol studied her for a moment. It looked like she wanted to add something, but instead she turned around to go back to her room. 

“Great,” Therese muttered to herself when Carol was out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts? Comments give me the will to write and encourage another chapter. I'm only slightly joking. 
> 
> Hope you're all staying safe and healthy. x


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely response to the first chapter! x 
> 
> And once again thanks to @softjoycebyers for helping me with this chapter <3

Carol felt like she was slowly going mad and it was only a few days into their quarantine. Being basically locked up with a roommate she barely knew, but found very attractive, was not her idea of fun as long as she had decided not to do anything about those feelings. 

When Allie had said that Therese was the obvious choice to be their new roommate, Carol had had trouble coming up with any reasons for why she wasn’t the right fit for them. Except that Carol found Therese attractive to the point of distraction as she had quickly experienced when they first met. Allie had to take over the conversation while Carol spent most of her time staring off in the distance, trying to not stare at Therese. 

They had mostly kept out of each other’s way over the last few days since the stay-at-home executive order had been issued. Therese usually kept quite long hours at the agency she worked at as a graphic designer while Carol was able to make her own hours depending on whatever job she had going on at that time. It had been an adjustment to have someone else in the apartment during the day, and Carol didn’t particularly enjoy having her routine disrupted. 

Carol had avoided going out into the open-planned kitchen and living room for the longest time, but she couldn’t ignore how hungry she was much longer. She heaved herself out of bed and picked up her discharged leggings from the day before and pulled an oversized sweatshirt over her head. She paused in front of the mirror hanging over her dresser to survey her face and hair. Her hair was decidedly a mess, but it would have to do. It certainly wouldn’t impress anyone though. Carol shook the thought off as soon as it crossed her mind. She was not trying to impress anyone. 

Therese would have to get used to bare-faced and messy-haired Carol if they were going to spend so much time in close quarters in the upcoming weeks or, Carol shuddered at the thought, months.

* * *

When Therese had asked Gen what it was like living with Carol she had hesitated for a long time before finally replying, “Carol is…” Gen seemed to struggle to find the right words. “Carol,” she finished. Therese looked at her expectantly. When Gen didn’t add anything, Therese had to prompt her to go on.

“Well, she comes across kind of distant and standoffish. She’s not, though,” Gen was quick to add when she noticed the look of skepticism on Therese’s face. “She has this really dry and sarcastic wit so you never really know if she’s being mean or not, but she really isn’t. She’s just Carol. You’ll get it soon. But I promise she’s not a bad person.” Therese had gone over to Riley and Gen’s new place to be assured that the first impression she had gotten of Carol when they had met for coffee the other day hadn’t been correct, but she was in no way comforted after listening to what Gen had to say about her soon to be former roommate. 

“I think she might hate me already. When we had coffee the three of us she wouldn’t look at me. At all. And she barely said a word for an hour. Why would she want to live with me?” Therese was frustrated with the whole situation. She had thought she would be signing a new lease on the apartment she already lived in with a friend from college. But Georgie had suddenly bailed and left Therese with just a month to find a new place and get out of her old one. Desperate times led to what seemed to be a somewhat questionable choice.

“She doesn’t hate you,” Gen protested. 

“I’m pretty sure she does,” Therese muttered while picking at her food. “And you did not tell me how stunning she is.” She pointed her fork in an accusatory fashion at Gen. “I thought you weren’t looking for a relationship right now and you’d be fine.” Gen held her hands up in surrender.

“I’m not. But I _do _ have eyes.” 

* * *

It wasn’t ideal to still be living with roommates in her late twenties. And Carol was reminded of the fact once again as she walked into the living room to see Therese working by the dining table. Therese glanced over at her before focusing back on her work, offering a brief smile as acknowledgment while Carol passed by on her way to the kitchen in pursuit of food. Carol didn’t have time to smile in return before Therese was focused back at her work again.

Carol ignored the feeling of uneasiness after the short interaction and focused instead on finding something to eat. She quickly realised that there really wasn’t much food left and she’d probably have to venture outside of the apartment at some point if she wanted to eat dinner. She glanced at Therese’s shelves in the fridge which didn’t contain anything except a carton of eggs and a few beers. Grocery shopping it was. 

Carol knew she should offer that they both went out to get groceries together. Or at least that she could bring back whatever Therese needed. She looked over at Therese as she contemplated what to do. Therese had her brow furrowed as she sketched something and was totally engrossed in whatever she was working on. She looked beautiful, Carol thought. 

“Therese?” she started hesitantly. Therese’s head snapped up at the sound of her name and she looked over at Carol. “Do you need anything from the grocery store? I need to go out, so I can bring back whatever you need.” 

Therese looked surprised at the offer. It was admittedly the most either of them had spoken to the other over the last few days, so Carol didn’t fault her. 

“Why don’t I come with you?” Therese asked after a moment. “That way we can get more groceries and we won’t have to go out again so soon.” 

That wasn’t what Carol had thought Therese would say. She had hoped that maybe she’d thank her for offering, but that it wasn’t necessary. Or give her a short list of what she needed. Carol had just wanted to be nice after feeling like she might have been a bit cold towards Therese over the last few days. It wouldn’t do well to turn down Therese’s suggestion now. 

“Sure,” Carol finally replied with a weak smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At some level it feels like time has ceased to exist at this point in life, so this took me much longer than I wanted to. I was so overwhelmed by the lovely response to the first chapter, it really means a lot. x
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this, I'd love to hear what you think.


End file.
